WarkaWater: the tower that produces water from thin air

Its name is inspired to huge trees native to Ethiopia, the Warkas, whose leafy branches welcome villagers during meetings, celebrations and talks. WarkaWater is a man-made bamboo reticular structure able to collect drinking water from the air, taking advantage of condensation.

The idea comes from two architects, Arturo Vittori and Andreas Vogler, collaborators of the study Architecture and Vision, which presented the project at the 2012 Biennale di Venezia. The project had an incredible success, so that its production could start from the next year. WarkaWater “is designed for the Ethiopian mountainous regions where women and kids have to walk for hours, every day, to have access to unhealthy water,” explain the architects.

The 9-metres-tall tower weighs only 60 kg and it is composed of 5 modules that can be installed manually. It is able to collect precious water thanks to a particular tissue made of polyethylene, and it can produce over 90 litres of drinking water per day, according to the designers.

"It's not just illnesses that we're trying to address. Many Ethiopian children from rural villages spend several hours every day to fetch water, time they could invest for more productive activities and education. If we can give people something that lets them bemore independent, they can free themselves from this cycle,” said designer Vittori.

Production costs are about 500 dollars, but if the tower is mass produced, the price would be even lower, reported the Smithsonian.